It took time for A’s to decompress from loss to Tigers

Third baseman Josh Donaldson wasn’t particularly great company for the first week after the 2013 season ended in a playoff loss to Detroit.

The same goes for starting pitcher Jarrod Parker.

For manager Bob Melvin, it took longer.

“We take these things pretty hard,’’ Melvin said Saturday at the A’s annual FanFest. “It takes some time to decompress. It usually takes me into the holidays. Our goal is to win the World Series, and when that doesn’t happen, it takes a while.’’

Donaldson said that first week was a grind, but after that it was time to look ahead.

“We felt we had the pieces to play deep (into the playoffs),’’ Donaldson said. “So it was hard, especially losing to the same team in pretty much the same situation two years in a row.

“It’s OK to be upset. But then it over and it’s time to prepare for the next season.’’

Donaldson spent much of his time playing golf and simply getting away from baseball to get his mind clear.

For Parker, it was a little different. He had elbow problems at the end of last year, had them checked out and was told surgery wasn’t necessary. So he was able to rest his body as well as his mind before gearing up for 2014. He’s just recently started throwing bullpen sessions.

“I ended the year feeling pretty crummy,’’ Parker said. “You don’t like to lose, and my elbow was hurting. But I took a week to sit down and dwell on it, and then it was time to get up and put it behind me and get on with getting ready for next year.

“Physically I’m feeling much better now that last year, so it’s time to move ahead.’’